Eradication of Acinetobacter baumannii from an intensive care unit

Abstract

In 2000/2001 an outbreak of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) susceptible only to amikacin and tobramycin occurred in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a general public adult hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Over a 2 year period, a total of 32 new isolates were identified; in all cases, the isolates were considered to be colonising rather than infecting agents. No environmental or other source could be identified. A combination of infection control measures and antibiotic restriction contributed to the eradication of this organism from the ICU.